War Games
by paulmcuk
Summary: War! Huh, what is it good for? Well CSC think it builds leadership and teamwork. So they send the Sports Night crew to go play war games in the woods. Casey loves the idea, Natalie hates the idea. And Dana just wants to win.


"War games?" asked Dana.

"That's what I said" replied Isaac.

"You can't be serious."

"It doesn't matter whether I'm serious or not. The decision is not mine, it comes from on high. All employees of CSC are to participate in team-building exercises."

"We've already built a team. You and I built it."

"And a very fine one it is too. But it's not just team-building. Apparently it also helps develop leadership skills."

"I have leadership skills. I tell people what to do and they do it."

"That's right" smiled Isaac. "And I tell you what to do. And the people upstairs tell me what to do. And they are telling me to tell you that you are taking part in this exercise."

"But why war games?" asked Dana. "Why do we have to run around shooting paint-balls at people?" She held out her hands. "Look at these" she said. "Do these look like the hands of a soldier?"

"Not any soldier I ever met" said Isaac.

"Well why can't we do something else instead? Like build a raft out of oil-drums and rope?"

"Because it has been decreed that you will play paint-ball. Between you and me, I suspect that whoever was in charge of making the decision regards themselves as something of a Rambo, but there is nothing you or I can do about it."

"Are you taking part?" Dana asked.

"Sadly my health will not allow." He smiled. "Sometimes there are compensations."

"I always said you were faking it." She sighed. "So who are we up against?"

"Legal."

"Legal? I can't imagine Matt Brody leading his troops into battle."

"He isn't."

"How come he gets out of it? There's nothing wrong with his health."

"He apparently discovered a legal conference that he never knew he had."

"Anywhere nice?"

"Florida."

"All the best fake conferences take place in Florida. Any good golf courses in the area."

"At least two of PGA tour standard."

"Hmmm. What if I were to tell you that I had just remembered a producers' conference that I just had to attend?"

"Why don't you try it and see."

Dana looked at his big smile. "I don't think I'll bother."

"War games?" asked Natalie.

"That's what I said" confirmed Dana.

"Alright!" exclaimed Casey.

"Why war games?" said Natalie.

"Why not" asked Casey.

"Because it's a stupid macho thing designed so that grown men can play at being soldiers. I could smell the testosterone levels in this room rise as soon as Dana mentioned it."

"It's just a corporate team-building exercise Natalie" said Dana. "Nothing to do with soldiers or war."

"Really?" said Natalie holding up the brochure that Dana had handed her., "So why is the company called Death-Kill Incorporated?"

"Cool name" said Elliot taking the brochure from her.

"See what I mean?" said Natalie.

"Well it's just as well you and I will be there to keep the boys in check isn't it?" said Dana.

Natalie shook her head. "No way. I'm not playing GI Jane."

"I'm afraid you are" said Dana. "Isaac told me I had to do it. And if I have to do it, there's not a chance in hell that I'm going to let anyone else get out of it without a note signed by their Mom and at least three doctors."

"What if I said please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"No dice. If you're not happy take it up with those above me and Isaac."

"Well I'm not going to try and get out of it" said Casey.

"Me neither" said Elliot.

"Dan?" asked Dana.

"I'm game."

"Jeremy?"

He shrugged. "Sure."

"Kim?"

"I just had a manicure."

"Join the club."

"Who are we up against anyway?" asked Casey.

"Legal."

"Bloodthirsty opponents" observed Dan.

"We can take 'em" said Casey.

"No problem" said Elliot.

Natalie stood up. "I'm leaving" she said, "because any second now, someone is going to start talking about kicking ass."

The crew gathered at the "battlefield", which was a small area of woodland on the outskirts of the city. They were thirty strong - as were their opponents. The two teams glared at each other for a while before being led in different directions by Death-Kill Inc employees - known as monitors. There were several of them who patrolled the area as the battle went on ensuring that everybody stuck to the rules.

"Ok" said a monitor who introduced himself as Karl. "Who's going to be in charge of your team?"

"I'm in charge" said Dana.

"Aren't you the one who's in charge at work?"

"Yes."

"I thought so. Well, you see, what we like to do here is let one of the junior members of staff have a shot at being....."

"I'M in charge" insisted Dana. "If we're going to do this stupid thing we're going to damn well win."

"Hey Dana" said Casey. "If you want to win then maybe it would be better to have someone with military experience in charge."

Dana looked at him. "Like who?"

"Like me."

"You? What military training did you ever have? You weren't even in the boy scouts."

"No" admitted Casey. "But I've studied the subject a lot."

"You mean you've watched movies."

"Well, yeah."

"I'm in charge."

"I was in the boy scouts" offered Elliot.

"Fine, if we need a camp fire I'll call you." She looked around at the rest of the crew. "Anyone else see themselves as officer material?" There was silence so Dana turned back to Karl. "Like I said, I'm in charge."

Karl and a couple of other monitors took the crew away to a 'staging area' to be fittedout in combat fatigues, helmet and goggles, and to give them their paint-guns and ammunition packs (Casey selected rather more ammunition than was strictly necessary). The boys played around a little, posing with their weapons while the girls resisted the urge to join them.

Casey began to speak in a deep, gruff voice. "In 1999 a team of crack sports show crew members escaped from a maximum security TV station." Then Elliot, Chris and Will joined in. "If you need help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire....The A Team." They fired a few rounds in the air for effect.

"Good grief" said Natalie. "War, huh."

"What is it good for?" asked Dan with a grin.

She smiled. "Absolutely nothing."

"Say it again" said Dan.

"Ok people, gather round" yelled Dana. As they gathered she began to outline her plan. "Ok, our objective is to capture the enemy flag while at the same time preventing them from capturing our's. What I therefore propose to do is to split into three teams. One will guard the flag while the others make a two-pronged attack on the enemy."

"You've done this before" said Natalie.

"Once or twice. I used to date a guy who was into it and, young and impressionable as I was at the time, I joined in to impress him."

"Was he impressed?"

"Oh yeah. Trouble is, I wasn't."

"What happened to him?"

"He became a survivalist. He still does this kind of thing, only now he uses real bullets."

"And you stopped dating him?"

"I know, did I miss out or what" said Dana with a grin. "Ok, we'll have three groups of ten. I'll lead one of the attack groups, Natalie will lead the group defending the flag." She took a deep breath. "And Casey?"

"Yo!"

"Yo?"

"It seemed appropriate."

Dana sighed. "Well, I'll probably regret it but you can lead the other attack group."

"Yes Sir!"

Dana noticed the look Natalie was giving her and shrugged. "At least he's enthusiastic."

"He is that" agreed Natalie. "I'm just glad I'm not in his group."

"I just don't think it's fair."

"Life isn't fair Sally" said Natalie. After Dana and Casey had led their teams away, she had organised her troops in groups of two in a wide perimeter around the yellow flag (they were the yellow team - legal were the blue). As a leader she was unwilling to ask anyone to do something she wouldn't be prepared to do herself, so she had paired herself up with Sally. But she was starting to regret it.

"Look, no offense Natalie but I should really be in charge of this group."

"But you're not."

"But I should be."

"Why? Were you in the marines?"

"Of course not."

"Well I'm not sure that sleeping with a lot of marines counts."

"Very funny. It's just a simple question of leadership qualities."

"Really?"

"Yes. I have them and you don't."

"So why did Dana put me in charge?"

"Because she likes you and she doesn't like me."

Natalie smiled. "Maybe you should try to be nicer to her in future."

"I AM nice to her. I........respect her abilities as a producer."

"That compliment took some finding" said Natalie. "But if you respect her so much why don't you respect her decision to put me in charge?"

"Because I'm a producer and you're just an associate producer."

"SENIOR associate producer if you don't mind."

"Big difference."

"AND Dana's deputy on Sports Night. Which is why she knows I have leadership qualities."

Sally shook her head. "You have to be ruthless to be a leader, you're too....nice."

"Sally" said Natalie in a hard voice. "Just you keep talking and you'll find out how nice I really am."

Sally stopped talking.

Dana's was leading her group towards the enemy base but was concerned that she might be outflanked. She decided to send a scout.

"Terry, go and scout over to the left."

Terry headed off, and was followed by another man.

"Where are you going Pete?" said Dana.

"I'm going with Terry."

"Did I ask you to go with Terry?"

"No."

"Well then."

"But I always go with Terry."

"Why? Are you dating or something?"

"I'm sound."

"You're what sound?"

"I'm sound. He's camera, I'm sound. We go together."

"He's right Dana" said Will. "You can't separate a soundman from his cameraman."

"Why not? Are they like those old zoo animals that have been in a pair for twenty years and pine away and die if they're separated?"

"It's just not done" said Will. "They're a team."

"He's right" said Dave. "It's like Laurel without Hardy. Just not funny."

"I'm not asking them to be funny, I'm asking them to be ruthless killers."

"The principal is the same."

"I don't see how" said Dana. "But I really can't be bothered to argue. Both of you can go."

Terry and Pete headed off again.

Phut! Phut! Both were hit with blue paint pellets.

"Get down!" shouted Dana and the rest of her group scrambled for cover.

"Fire" she shouted.

"What at?" asked Dan. "I can't see anyone."

"Don't aim, just fire!"

After a period of heavy firing Dana called a halt.

"I think they've gone" she said.

"You THINK?" said Dan.

"Yes, I think. Go and check."

"I'm not checking. They're probably still out there, waiting to pounce."

"Just get out there Dan."

"Why me?"

"Because you're here lad. There's no-one else."

"What?"

"Haven't you ever seen 'Zulu'?"

"Yes I have. I just don't see the relevance."

"It's inspiring."

"Is it?"

"Yes. Now consider yourself inspired and go look for the enemy."

Still grumbling, Dan went off to look for the blue team. He came back shortly.

"They've gone" he announced.

"Told you so" said Dana.

"Have we won now?"

"Won? We just lost four of our team and we never even saw the enemy. I don't think it really qualifies as a win."

"So what do we do now?" asked Jeremy.

"We carry on" said Dana. "The Sports Night crew don't run away at the first sight of trouble."

Jeremy didn't seem convinced. "Are you sure that you've considered all the possible benefits that running away has to offer?"

"We are NOT running away and that is final. I'm going to win this if it kills you all."

"It's likely to at this rate" said Dan. "They're good."

Dana shook her head. "I can't believe you two. One setback and you're ready to throw in the towel. Just remember, if they're busy attacking us, maybe the other team will be able to take them by surprise."

"I just hope Casey's team is having better luck than we are" said Dan.

"There it is" said Casey. "The blue flag." His group was under cover of trees at the foot of a small exposed hill - on top of which sat the enemy flag.

"They ain't gonna know what hit 'em" said Elliot.

Casey was puzzled. "I don't see any defences."

"Maybe they're all out attacking our flag" suggested Chris.

"Pretty poor tactics if they are" said Casey.

"Maybe they heard that Mad-Dog McCall was coming and all ran away" said Kim with a grin.

"Are you mocking me?" asked Casey.

"Someone has to with Dana and Natalie not here."

"Ok" he said with an evil smirk. "Why don't you just take a run up that hill and fetch that flag for me?"

"No way."

"I'm in charge remember."

"It's probably an ambush."

"Could be" agreed Casey. "That's why I'm only sending one person. You."

"But I'm too young to die" said Kim. "I'm too PRETTY to die."

"We'll be sure and write that on your headstone."

"You're really enjoying this aren't you?"

"I'm beginning to."

"Ok" said Kim preparing her weapon. "This woman is going to show you BOYS how to do a man's job." She moved cautiously up the slope taking advantage of what cover there was. Eventually she reached the top where the flag stood.

"She's got it" said Elliot.

"Those guys in legal sure are stupid" said Chris.

The team let out a cheer and began to climb the hill to join Kim who was just reaching up to take the flag. Then she stopped. This wasn't right. The Sports Night team's flag was a proper flag, and it had the Death-Kill Inc emblem on it. This was just a piece of blue cloth. She turned and yelled out a warning. "It's a trap! Get back!"

"Huh" said Casey who was already half-way up the hill.

Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut!

The shots came in thick and fast. The legal team were firing from the safety of the trees below - not far from where they themselves had been waiting. Going back down was no good, he decided. "Up the hill" he yelled, firing aimlessly into the trees.

Eventually the team got up to the top where they were able to take cover. Elliot was the last to arrive. "How many did we lose" he asked.

"Five" said Casey.

"Five? That's half the team."

"I know."

"But we have the flag" said Elliot. "We've won."

"It's a fake" said Kim.

"A fake?"

"A fake" confirmed Casey. "The bastards used it to lure us into open ground."

"Bastards" said Elliot.

"Bastards" agreed Kim.

"I just hope Dana's team is having better luck than we are" said Casey.

"Get down Sally."

"I'm sick of crawling around in the dirt."

"You're an easy target standing there like that" said Natalie.

Sally looked around. "Easy target for who? We've been here almost an hour and haven't seen a single enemy."

"If they're any good we won't see them at all until they shoot us" said Natalie. "Now will you please get down."

Sally ignored her. "What are we doing here?" she asked out loud. "Playing stupid games like a bunch of ten year olds."

"We're learning how to work as a team" said Natalie. "You must have heard Dana's stirring speech."

"I heard it" said Sally. "A lot of corporate gibberish. The people who design these so-called training exercises should try working in the real world."

Secretly Natalie agreed but wasn't going to say so. "Personally I didn't think we needed it" she said, "but in your case...."

Sally pouted. "That's another point. Why am I here? I'm not even on your team" she said.

"We needed to make up the numbers" said Natalie. Actually Isaac had insisted Sally attend in the faint hope that she and Dana might learn to work together.

"But I have my own team. Why couldn't my team have taken on your team?"

"Oh, how I wish" said Natalie. She saw a movement in the trees out of the corner of her eye. "Sally get down!" she yelled.

"Why?.....OW!" Sally was hit with a pellet and blue paint splatterred all over her.

Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! The firing continued as she remained standing. "Ow, ow, ow, ow." Eventually she leapt for cover next to Natalie. "I'm gonna get them for that" she snarled.

"Sally" said Natalie who was firing back, "you're dead."

"What?"

"You're dead. You're not going to get anyone."

"I'm dead?"

"Yep."

"But I haven't even fired my gun."

"Too bad. You're dead."

"Well that's just STUPID!" declared Sally as she stalked off back to the staging area.

"Thank God for that" muttered Natalie. "Five more minutes and I'd have shot you myself."

After some stumbling around, Dana and Casey's respective forces had met up - narrowly avoiding massacring each other. They related each other's bad news and Dana had agreed that the blue team were indeed bastards. In view of their depleted numbers, Dana had decided that they should combine forces. She dispatched Jeremy to check that Natalie's group was still ok and to tell her what was happening.

While continuing their search for the blue flag, they had encountered a blue team outpost. There were only three of them but they held the high ground and were effectively pinning the yellow team down.

"Ok" said Dana, "I'm open to ideas here."

"They're blind on the left-hand side" observed Casey. "If I can get over there I can catch them napping."

"You think you can get there?" asked Dana.

"Sure, if you cover me."

Dana considered for a moment. "Do it" she said. "Ok everybody, lay down covering fire for Casey."

The group began to fire as Casey manoeuvred his way into position in what he thought was an impressive array of leaps and bounds. Eventually he disappeared out of sight. The group continued to fire until they saw him leap out from the cover on the left of the legal team and do a mid-air somersault, firing as he did so. Even Dana was impressed. "Come on" she urged, and the rest of her unit raced up the hill. They found the enemy looking forlornly at the yellow paint on their clothes. They also found Casey laying flat on his back.

"Nice shooting Casey" said Dana happy to have achieved her first victory.

"I think I broke my spine" said Casey.

Dana was having none of it. "On your feet soldier."

"Thanks for the sympathy."

"You're not hurt."

"I told you, I think I broke my spine."

"If you'd broken you're spine you would be in too much pain to tell me about it."

"Maybe I'm just being manfully stoic."

Natalie was tense. They had successfully beaten off the last attack for the loss of only Sally - not that Natalie considered that much of a loss. The trouble was she didn't think that they had actually hit any of the enemy. They were still out there - somewhere. She scanned the woods looking for movement. Then she saw it, a figure moving throughthe trees. She bided her time, waited until she had a clear shot. Then, as the figure emerged from behind a tree she opened fire catching them square in the chest. Natalie was elated at her first "kill". She emerged from her hiding place to taunt her victim in a thoroughly unsporting and unprofessional manner. "I gotcha" she yelled excitedly. "Boy did I get you. Didn't I get you?"

"You got me" agreed the figure.

"Damn right!

"Trouble is" said the figure removing his helmet and goggles, "I'm on your side."

"Jeremy!"

"Hi Nat. Oh yeah, and ouch!"

"Um, sorry."

"That's quite alright."

"I thought you were the enemy."

"That's what I figured."

"I'm really sorry."

"Not a problem" said Jeremy. "I'll just go back to the staging area and await burial. Will you write my folks and tell them I died a hero?"

"Jeremy, I really am sorry."

"Don't mention it" he said and walked away.

Natalie called after him. "But it was one hell of a shot, don't you think?"

"It's the waiting that I can't stand" said Dan.

"Why don't they just attack and get it over with?" said Kim. They had no sooner secured the blue team outpost they had taken, than they had come under fire again.

"They don't want to attack" said Dana. "They want to keep us here while they attack our flag."

"I have a plan" said Casey.

"Is it a good plan?"

Casey considered. "Well it's A plan."

Dana looked at her situation. "Good enough. What is it?"

Dan, Elliot and Will made their way through the woods. They were carrying out Casey's plan.

"Get behind them" said Will. "That's basically it. Get behind them and shoot them. Casey can talk about flanking manoeuvres all he wants but what it all boils down to is....." Phut! Phut! "....oh shit."

Phut! Phut!

Dan crouched behind a tree. Once again they had failed to see the attack coming. "Elliot" he hisses. "Are you ok?"

"You mean apart from being dead?"

"Shit. Where are they?"

"Right behind you" said woman's voice and the barrel of a gun was pressed against the back of Dan's head.

"Hi guys" said Dan.

"I'll take that" said another voice, this time a man, and a hand grabbed his gun and tossed it to one side.

"Get up" ordered the woman and Dan did so.

"Get your hands up" said the man.

"Why?" said Dan. "They only issued one gun."

"It's traditional" said the man. "Now get 'em up." Dan did so.

"For you Tommy, ze war is over" said the woman in a lousy German accent.

"My name's not Tommy" said Dan.

"Who cares? It's still over."

"So why don't you just shoot me?"

"You get extra marks for prisoners" said the man.

"Plus it's more fun" said the woman. "Now let's move out." She indicated a direction with her gun and Dan began to walk that way. Suddenly a warcry rang out.

"Bonsai!"

The blue team members turned as Natalie leapt out from behind a tree shooting. They were too late - both were hit. Her victims turned to look at her. "That's what you get for being cocky" she said with a grin.

"Thanks Nat" said Dan retrieving his gun.

"No thanks necessary" said Natalie. "All in a days work."

"You could have got here sooner" moaned Elliot who hadn't left for the staging area yet.

"I can't save ALL your worthless hides" said Natalie. "Now go away and die quietly."

"I hope you aren't saying my hide is worthless" said Dan.

"Hard to say" said Natalie with a grin. "I haven't seen it."

Dan laughed. "What are you doing here anyway?" he asked. "Shouldn't you be guarding the flag?"

"I got worried when I hadn't heard from you. I'm a scouting party."

"You didn't hear from us? But Dana sent Jeremy back to report."

"Really?" said Natalie innocently. "I guess he didn't make it." She quickly changed the subject. "Where is Dana?"

"Over there somewhere" said Dan, indicating. "We were under attack."

"So what were you three doing over here? Running away?"

Dan was hurt. "We were NOT running away" he insisted. "We were a flanking manoeuvre."

"A flanking manoeuvre?"

Dan nodded. "And an inspired one at that."

"So what went wrong."

Dan shrugged. "We were out-flanked."

"Well let's carry out the plan" said Natalie.

"Ok."

There was a pause.

"Dan?" said Natalie.

"Yes?"

"Would you like to tell me what the plan was?"

"Oh yeah, sorry. We were going to meet up with the other flanking unit and attack the blue team's rear."

"Sounds painful."

"Hopefully" grinned Dan.

"Who's in the other flanking unit?"

"Casey."

"I might have guessed. Who else."

"Just Casey. He's a one-man unit."

"All those war movies must be paying off" said Natalie. "Ok then. Let's go link up with Commando."

"Ok" said Dan. "Just one thing though" he added as they set off.

"What's that?"

"I think you'll find it's Banzai."

"What did I say?"

"Bonsai."

"Oh. What's Bonsai then?"

"Miniature trees."

"Really? Ah well, I bet the enemy don't know that."

Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut!

"Jesus" said Kim. "How many of them are there?"

"I have no idea" said Dana. "I just know there's more of them than there are of us."

"How come?"

"Because we never seem to actually hit any of them."

Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut!........

"They've stopped" said Kim after a few moments silence..

"It's a trick" said Dana.

"It's alright guys" shouted a familiar voice, "you can come out now."

"That's Natalie" said Kim.

Dana raised her head over the lip of the ditch she had been hiding in and saw Natalie approaching, flanked by Casey and Dan. .

"We got the mothers" said Natalie.

"They're shooting days are over" added Casey.

There was a brief, happy, reunion during which Natalie explained how she had met up with Dan and Casey and how the three of them had chased off the attackers.

"How many did you get" asked Dana.

"Maybe four or five" said Natalie. "The rest ran off." She looked around. "We seem to be getting a little thin on the ground."

"Tell me about it" said Dana. "Please tell me your team is still intact."

"Sorry" said Natalie shaking her head. "No can do."

"Was it bad?"

"Pretty rough. We came under attack twice and lost four people."

"Was Sally one of them?"

"Yes."

"There's always an up-side."

Natalie grinned. "But that was when I left. I don't know what's happened since."

Dana nodded. "I think we should head back there and regroup."

"I agree" said Natalie. "You go on ahead and I'll stay to protect the rear."

"I'll stay too" said Casey.

"Good idea" said Dana. "Ok everyone. Back to the flag."

The team arrived back at the flag without further attack to find the remaining fourmembers of Natalie's team still among the living. Natalie and Casey arrived some minutes later. Dana noticed that Natalie was no longer wearing her helmet and goggles. She also saw that she had wrapped a piece of cloth around her head.

"Natalie" she said, "where are your helmet and goggles?"

"Helmets are for wimps" said Natalie.

"What's got into you?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, when did you turn into Sigourney Weaver?"

Natalie shrugged. "I'm just trying to win. Now, what's the plan?"

"Dana can't decide" said Dan.

"Yes I can!" insisted Dana.

"You couldn't a moment ago."

"Well now I can. We are going to stay here and defend the flag."

"And that plan will help us win will it?" asked Natalie.

"No" said Dana. "It will help us not lose. We only have an hour to go. If we can keep the flag safe, it's a tie."

"I thought you wanted to win?"

"I've revised my objectives."

Natalie shook her head. "I never thought I'd see the day when Dana Whitaker settled for anything less than being the best."

"Natalie, we have no choice. There aren't enough of us to attack the blue flag and defend our own at the same time. Besides, maybe they'll lose so many people in the attack that we will still get a chance to win."

"More likely they'll wipe us out where we stand."

"It's the only chance we have."

"I say we attack" said Natalie.

"No we don't" said Dana. "What are you doing?"

Natalie had begun sniffing her. "You're afraid" announced Natalie. "I SMELL your fear."

"I am NOT afraid Natalie. I'm just being practical. Now get into position and help me defend the flag."

"No" said Natalie.

"No?"

"No" she repeated. "We need to end this, and we need to end it now. I'm going to attack." She began to march away, then she turned back for a moment. "Are you with me Casey?"

"Yo!"

Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut! Phut!

"That's another four taken care of" said Casey.

"That'll teach 'em to mess with us" said Natalie.

The pair had fought their way to within striking distance of where they believed the blue team's flag to be located and had accounted for eight of the enemy on the way.

"We make quite a team don't we?"

Natalie smiled. "Sure do. In fact I....oof!" She was thrown to the ground as Casey hurled himself into her. He fell on top of her, raised his gun and fired into the trees. Natalie looked at where he had fired and saw a member of the blue team who was now covered in yellow paint. She clambered to her feet.

"Great shot Casey!"

"Natalie.."

"I never even saw him."

"Natalie!"

"Yes?"

"I'm dead Natalie." Casey turned around to show her the blue paint covering his back. "He got me the same time I got him."

"That was meant for me" said Natalie. "Thanks."

"Any time."

"Well, I guess it's up to me now."

"You can do it."

"I hope so." She started to move off.

"Natalie."

"Yes."

Casey held out his gun and spare ammunition. "I think you better take these. I've a feeling you might need them."

"I think we're just about beaten" said Dan. They had come under attack again and he had crawled over to Dana during a lull in the firing.

"Who's left?" asked Dana.

"You, me, Tony and Steve."

"How many of them would you say?"

Dan shrugged. "At least fifteen.".

"Dana!" shouted a voice from somewhere among the blue team's position.

"I know that voice" said Dana. "Derek Baxter."

"I know you're there Dana" came the voice again.

"What can I do for you Derek?" she shouted.

"I thought you might like to talk."

"Not right now Derek. I'm busy."

"Spare me the bravado Dana. You know you're beaten."

"I still see my flag back there."

"Not for long. We'll soon have it."

"Then you're gonna have to take it."

"Come on Dana. How many of you are there left? Three? Four?"

"Why don't you come up and find out?"

"Just give it up" yelled Derek.

"Not on your life" said Dana.

"Have it your way. Ok team, lets....." He was interrupted by a cheer. "What's going on?" he asked, as what remained of the Sports Night team emerged from cover and began shouting and waving. He turned to look. A lone figure was approaching waving the blue team's flag.

"Who the hell is that?" said Derek.

"That" said Dana proudly, "is Natalie."

THE END


End file.
